Photo : Paris-Ateliers
Animal Writing Workshop
"Living animal" follow-up to the "animal gaze"
Paris-Ateliers / SAMPAIX (Paris 10th)
About
This workshop is a follow-up to the All Saints' Day session on the theme of the "animal gaze." However, it is not necessary to have attended the first part to fully enjoy this one.
Here, the focus remains on approaching animals through writing. Various experiences and often playful exercises will guide participants along a resolutely ecopoetic path. They will be invited to immerse themselves in the lifestyle of an animal of their choice, to turn it into material for texts that are as much naturalistic as they are gateways to the imagination, utopian societies, and metamorphoses.
The sessions will allow participants to begin writing two short stories and to explore one of them in greater depth. Other short texts can serve as preparatory work, alongside significant research. This workshop will indeed be an opportunity to bridge documentary or even scientific research with fictional or poetic writing – and to see that documentation can be a creative task!
Immersing oneself in the life of a non-human living being means developing one's capacity for attention to the world, a beautiful quality for both living and writing. It will lead us here onto renewed narrative paths... For those who attended the first part, it will also be an opportunity, if they so desire, to extend their research and companionship with an animal.
Instructor: Simon Lhéritier
Number of spots: 10 people
Price: €260 (Paris Ateliers enrollees receive a 10% discount on workshop prices).
Professional Training Price: €720 including tax
Dates: from February 10 to 12, 2027
Schedule: from 10 am to 5 pm, with a lunch break between 1 pm and 2 pm.
Information and registration by email at public@paris-ateliers.org or at 01 44 61 87 80.
Our take on this event
Forget your own perspective for a while and step into the mind of a non-human creature. This workshop blends rigorous research with wild imagination, guiding you to craft vivid short stories from an entirely different point of view. Whether you are a budding novelist or a curious poet, you will sharpen your attention to the world and unlock brand-new narrative paths.
From February 10 to 12, 2027, the Animal Writing workshop at Paris-Ateliers Sampaix in the 10th arrondissement invites writers aged 16 and over to explore the non-human world through an ecopoetic lens. Led by Simon Lhéritier, this three-day intensive course focuses on blending scientific research with fiction, guiding participants to craft two distinct short stories. Whether you are interested in naturalism or utopian narratives, this workshop provides a structured yet playful environment. With a limited capacity of only 10 participants, the sessions run daily from 10:00 to 17:00, ensuring personalized feedback as you delve into the lives of your chosen animal subjects.
This workshop offers a unique deep dive into the animal kingdom through the art of storytelling. Taking place at Paris-Ateliers Sampaix between February 10 and 12, 2027, the program is open to anyone aged 16 or older. You do not need to have attended previous sessions on animal perspectives to join. Each day, from 10:00 to 17:00 with a lunch break from 13:00 to 14:00, is designed to help you balance factual research with imaginative writing. By the end of the course, participants will have worked on two separate short stories, focusing on one in greater depth.
The course fee is 260€, though current Paris-Ateliers members receive a 10% discount. For those pursuing this as part of their professional development, the fee is 720€ TTC. Because the workshop is limited to a maximum of 10 people, the instructor, Simon Lhéritier, can provide dedicated guidance. You will learn to view the world through the eyes of another living being, turning documentary work into a creative process that results in innovative narratives, whether they be realistic, poetic, or entirely imagined.
